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In 1985, New York magazine coined the term Brat Pack to refer to this group of actors, who were in their early 20s and had achieved fame. The Brat Pack films are about adolescents, and their stars became teen idols.

"St. Elmo's Fire" and "The Breakfast Club" are the only films that feature the entire Brat Pack. However, other movies, such as "Pretty in Pink" and "Sixteen Candles," also receive the Brat Pack label because they feature a couple members of the group.

Other popular actors of the 1980s sometimes feature on lists of Brat Pack actors. They include Tom Cruise, Ralph Macchio, Charlie Sheen and Patrick Swayze. Although these actors appeared in films with Brat Pack actors, they are not core members of this group, which is limited to the cast of "St. Elmo's Fire" and "The Breakfast Club."

Members of the Brat Pack resented this label and blamed it for later career troubles. They believed that this term caused them to be taken less seriously than their peers. Many members of the Brat Pack struggled with alcohol and drugs.